Spoke Monday to Dan Monson, Bravest College Basketball Coach in America whose Long Beach State team is scheduled to play road games this season against Duke, Kentucky, Texas and Notre Dame.

And the guy was actually in an upbeat mood.

“I enjoyed the best spring I’ve had in 10 years,” said Monson, referring to his final spring at Gonzaga before departing in July of 1999 to what would become an uneven tenure at Minnesota. “All the players who weren’t seniors are coming back. They all did good academically and socially. Everything is looking up.”

Well, I guess that depends on one’s perspective.

Monson’s team also won’t have it easy on Thanksgiving weekend when it participates in the 76 Classic at the Anaheim Convention Center that will include UCLA, Clemson, Texas A&M, Butler, West Virginia, Portland and Minnesota.

Such a punishing non-league schedule doesn’t figure to do wonders for Monson’s won-loss record – he’s 21-40 after two seasons with the 49ers – but the team certainly will have an impressive RPI rating.

Why would the Long Beach State athletic director, Vic Cegles, subject his coach to such a scheduling ordeal?

“Oh, we both were in agreement with it,” Cegles said Monday from his beachfront vacation home in the Jersey Shore. “Dan knows how to build a program, and players you’re recruiting want to play against the best teams.”

And, for sure, the 49ers will be playing some of the best teams in America.

“Duke, Kentucky and Texas will all be ranked in the Top 10 preseason ratings and Notre Dame will be in the Top 20,” said Monson. “I realize it’s not smart for my career record, but I want my team to know what it’s like to play at such a high level.

“I think that can prepare the players for later in the season when they might be in an NCAA game facing one of those tough teams on a neutral court. We’ll be a lot more prepared for such a challenge.”

The recruiting for next year’s 49er class has started, and Monson has his assistants scattered around the globe, with Eric Brown now checking out young prospects in Belgrade, Serbia, Vic Couch in Cincinnati and Rod Palmer in Albuquerque.

Monson himself soon will get involved in the process, scouring the Los Angeles landscape for players to eventually join his team that might compete in a lousy conference, the Big West, but certainly doesn’t shy away from facing the nation’s elite. …

Of course, Long Beach State will reap quite a profit playing Duke, Kentucky, Texas and Notre Dame – at least a $320,000 windfall …

Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach president/CEO Jim Michaelian and wife Mary just returned from a two-week European vacation that included watching a few Wimbledon matches in London and riding on the fabled TVG high-speed train from Avignon to Paris.

“We visited the Provence area in southeast France, and drove around in a car for six days,” said Michaelian.

Poor Mary Michaelian. Jim Michaelian has become famous across the decades for driving his cars excessively fast – and has many speeding citations to prove it.

And people drive maniacally on the roadways of France, routinely cruising along at speeds of more than 100 mph. And so did Jim Michaelian in his rented Peugeot.

“It’s fun driving in France,” he admits. …

Sadly, one of the faults a human being can’t eradicate is weakness. …

One of the brightest tennis prospects in Long Beach is 15-year-old Ryan Murchison, son of political consultant Mad Mike (The Grim Reaper) Murchison.

Young Murchison will be a sophomore at Wilson High after performing well as a freshman for the school’s varsity tennis team. …

Tiger Woods and Roger Federer have one common trait that sets them apart from opponents – a maniacal mental toughness. …

That said, oh, is Mr. Federer fortunate that his nemesis, Rafael Nadal, has knee miseries. …

According to His Gray Eminence, John Morris, who knows everything, the long-awaited Long Beach Studios are still on course to begin operation at the abandoned Boeing facility on Lakewood Blvd.

Mr. Morris is friends with Jack O’Halloran, a former pro fighter who has been heavily involved in negotiations with Boeing.

“The last time I talked to Jack, he said everything is moving forward,” relates Morris.

Frankly, I’ve become skeptical about the deal, since the movie industry – like every other one in America these harrowing financial days – is cutting costs dramatically. …

Swimming great Susie Atwood plans to spend next week in one of my favorite cities, Vienna, and, frankly, I’m envious almost to the point of jealousy. …

I’ll be surprised if Oscar De La Hoya doesn’t one day make a comeback. …

I knew the Rev. Al Sharpton at least 100 pounds ago when he was a hanger-on in the Don King entourage. …

Whatever happened to Don King? …

Trevor Ariza made about the worst career move imaginable departing the Lakers for the same amount of money to descend into permanent mediocrity in Houston. Ariza one day will wind up detesting his misguided agent, David Lee. …

I look for Phil Jackson to work the same kind of magic out of Ron Artest that he did with Dennis Rodman. …

I am as tired of hearing Manny Ramirez refusing to answer questions about his steroid usage as I am of hearing how excited Dodger fans are about his return. …

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